Prysmian Group has won the “Quick & Simple Substation” innovation challenge organized by Dutch grid operators Alliander, Enexis and Stedin, beating out 13 other submissions with a solution aimed at accelerating the installation of medium-voltage (MV) substations.

A press release said that the challenge focused on identifying scalable methods to strengthen Europe’s power grid infrastructure in response to rising electricity demand and grid modernization pressures linked to the energy transition.

Prysmian’s winning concept features a plug-and-play MV cable solution that uses a flexible prefabricated cable with plug-in connections. The design simplifies the substation installation process, reducing time on-site and enabling faster, technician-friendly deployment. The modular system is intended to be scalable and repeatable, helping utilities reduce reliance on specialized labor and keep up with aggressive grid expansion timelines.

The solution will be initially rolled out in the Netherlands but is designed for wider adoption across international markets. According to Prysmian, the approach offers a template that could benefit hundreds of power networks worldwide through faster grid upgrades and improved system resilience.